Moments in Time – May 7, 2019

#Middlebury

  • On May 20, 1873, San Francisco businessman Levi Strauss and Reno, Nevada, tailor Jacob Davis are granted a patent for work pants reinforced with metal rivets, then known as “waist overalls.” It marked the birth of one of the world’s most famous garments: blue jeans.
  • On May 23, 1911, the New York Public Library, the largest marble structure ever built in the United States, is dedicated in New York City. It took 14 years to complete. The next day some 40,000 people passed through its doors. The collection already consisted of more than a million books.
  • On May 25, 1927, Robert Ludlum, the author of 21 best-selling thrillers, including the Jason Bourne spy novels, is born in New York City. Ludlum sold more than 300 million books before his death in 2001.
  • On May 21, 1932, aviator Amelia Earhart flies solo across the North Atlantic, five years after aviator Charles Lindberg made the first solo flight. Earhart traveled over 2,000 miles from Newfoundland to Ireland in under 15 hours.
  • On May 26, 1959, Harvey Haddix of the Pittsburgh Pirates pitches 12 perfect innings against the Milwaukee Braves, only to lose the game on a two-run double in the 13th inning. It was the first time in major-league history that a pitcher threw more than nine perfect innings.
  • On May 22, 1972, President Richard Nixon arrives in Moscow for a summit with Soviet leaders. Although it was Nixon’s first visit to the USSR as president, he had visited Moscow once before – as U.S. vice president in 1959.
  • On May 24, 1964, a referee’s call in a soccer match between Peru and Argentina sparks a riot. More than 300 fans were killed and another 500 injured in the violent melee at National Stadium in Lima, Peru.

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